Find a subject that is clear in appearance, compact in shape and accessible from close to and from a distance.

Get into a position to see the entire subject in the viewfinder and photograph as I normally would –without taking too much time to consider the composition.

Take more care over the second picture, moving in and around to make the subject fit the frame as tightly as possible – right up to the edges if I could, but not beyond.

Close in so that I can see none of the edges of the subject and photograph just a part of it.

Move right back until the subject occupies only a small part of the frame and do my best to make a composition that stresses the surroundings. If the subject is easy to move consider placing it more effectively within its surroundings.

Compare with the Workbook examples.

Use either frames or the cropping tool and crop the picture using alternative possibilities.

Setting up

It was a dull, damp day but I wanted to get on with the exercises. The easy way would have been to find something in the garden, but I wanted to be out and about with my camera. The day was pretty dark and I wanted something colourful. A red postbox came into mind first but then I thought of the local playground which could be a good place if it was empty (I didn’t want parents rushing up to me and asking why I was photographing their children as this is a very sensitive issue nowadays). I was in luck because there was only one young dad with his daughter and I waited until they had left. Read the rest of this entry »